The Name Game
by Yunarizu
Summary: Youko thought that Keiki could use a name, but Keiki thinks otherwise.


**The Name Game**

**Setting: This is in Keiki's POV. It begins during dinner then continues to the imperial study.  
****Disclaimer: I do not own twelve kingdoms, Fuyumi Ono does**

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"Do you want a name?"

"I beg your pardon?" I looked up from the vegetable salad I was eating to see Kei-Ou Youko staring at me.

"Never mind," Youko mumbled as she continued with her food. "Forget what I just said."

The dinner proceeded in silence as Youko spoke no more. As for me, I am smart enough to keep quite just in case she brings up the topic again.

_"Do you want a name?"_ Her Highness asked if I wanted a name? Of course I had to pretend not to hear her. I should have known better when she named her pet rabbit _Ramu_ because she thinks it is cute. _Cute?_ Can someone please tell me how does she defines cute?

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"Your Highness, are you listening to what I've just said?" I asked. I tried to hide my annoyance as best as I could, for I hate to repeat myself. It makes me sound long winded. The other day when I overheard Youko telling Shoukei and Suzu how nagging I am, I almost fainted. Me? Nagging? It was just a couple of reminders, and they were all for her own good! Youko would thank me in time.

"Yes, yes, carry on," Youko put down her pen and looked at me. "I'm listening."

"Your Highness can't be listening and writing at the same time," I frowned at her answer. I know Youko can't multitask. That's why she almost bumped into a pillar while talking to Suzu as they walked down the corridor the other day. "Or is it that what Toukanchou had reported is so complicated that notes must be made?"

Youko rolled her eyes. "Well, no, but am I expected to concentrate on something that I've heard for like the whole week?" she said sarcastically. "I thought I ordered for half the weapons in the winter treasury to be sold to raise funds since a fortnight ago? I will not reconsider the matter since I think I've spent enough time considering it carefully. Any others?"

"Your Highness may I take a look at what you have been writing?" Since the past half an hour, she had been scribbling non-stop. Since she can't multitask, better check her notes to make sure there are no errors, if those are notes, anyway.

"It's a shame to show it to you before I finish it, but if you really want to see," Youko beamed, "Name list."

_NAME LIST? Damn! I just dug my own grave!_ I gaped at the long piece of paper Youko fished out from the pile of paperwork on her desk. Squeezed into each line is her minute handwriting of names, all with the syllable 'Kei'

"The first few lines are those with 'Kei'," Youko added. She must have caught my flabbergasted expression, though I guess she must have interpreted it in a different way. "I thought that would be better for the Kirin of Kei."

"Why the sudden urge to (cough) give me a name, Your Highness?" I asked as politely as I could.

"Because of what Hanrin said during her last visit," Youko said simply as she twirled her pen between her fingers.

"Han-Taiho?"

" 'Keiki doesn't have a name? Why, that's such a pity!' " Youko repeated in a pitch slightly higher than her normal tone, imitating Hanrin's voice.

_That Hanrin! _Wait till I get my hands on her! I would rather stick to nameless than being called something like Ramu. I turned to the…scroll. The list went on and on, until a name caught my eyes.

"What's this?" I gasped, "Shichita?"

Youko gave a small laugh. "Enki is Rokuta, so I thought Hichita wouldn't be too bad."

"But that sounds so…never mind." _Stupid. _What sort of people would pick a name such as Sh_ichita_?

"I know you wanted to say 'stupid', go on, say it!" Youko shouted.

"I apologize, Your Highness, if I have offended Your Highness in any way." Gosh, better be careful because she seems to be able to read my thoughts.

The dangerously sweet smile reformed on Youko's face. "It's ok, go on."

What am I to do but to continue to skim through the paper? I couldn't believe my eyes. "There is a _'Hachita'_ as well?"

Youko only grinned as she nodded.

"Mamoru? Your Highness I think that would have sounded very much more suitable for a female."

"Oh you think so?" Youko sounded alarmed. "I do have male friends in Hourai called Mamoru. Don't you find it sweet anyway?" _Sweet?_ Youko seriously has a weird taste for names.

Not that I am against Youko giving me a name, in fact I wouldn't mind if Youko is better at coming up with one. Perhaps I should ask Han-Ou to give her some ideas. That guy always has good ideas when it comes down to names. And plenty of them. This explains why Hanrin changes her name almost like once every 3 months.

"Your Highness, I think 'Keiki' would be fine," I concluded. I don't want to read on anymore. I should have known what Youko would come up with.

"But every other Kirin of Kei had been a Keiki!" Youko exclaimed. "Don't you want to be a little…different?"

"Or Keirin," I said flatly, "I appreciate Your Highness's kindness, but 'Keiki' would be fine." I'd rather be cliché rather than being called Mamoru, honestly.

"Fine! You un-" Youko fired away.

After taking a deep breath, she finally continued, "But since I am also quite used to calling you 'Keiki', none of those names sounded right anyway."

_That's because none of them sounded right in the first place. _I let out a sigh of relief as Youko finally gave up on her 'Name Project'.

"Well it's getting late!" Youko stood up to take the paper from me. "We have no use for that anymore."

"Wait, Your Highness," I managed as Youko was about to crush the paper, "May I keep that?" Yes the names are not that nice, but it's not like I don't appreciate her efforts.

Youko blinked. "Of course!"

I folded the paper neatly and put in my pocket before I escort Youko to her imperial chamber. What a night to remember. I better pray hard that Youko doesn't get any more funny ideas in the future.

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**I am not exaggerating the parts about Hanrin and Han-Ou, they are according to parts in 'Tasogare no Kishi, Akatsuki no Sora', in case anyone wonders. **

**That's all, thanks for reading!**


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